The Effect of Physiographic Parameters on the Spatial Distribution of Snow Water Equivalent in A Large Mountainous Basin

Water accumulated and stored is the winter snowpack throughout the mountainous regions of the Western United States is a critical, yet poorly understood resource. An improved understanding of the correlations between basin physiography (e.g. elevation, land cover, incoming solar radiation, etc.) and snow water equivalence (SWE) in large and diverse landscapes could lead to better estimates of the total volume of water stored in the winter snowpack. This study quantifies the effect of the physiography of a large (207 km²) and complex mountainous basin (West Fork of the Gallatin River basin in SW Montana) on the spatial distribution of SWE and snow density. Sampling took place near the time of peak SWE accumulation (~April 1^st 2012).